April 15, 2024 • 2hr 26min
Dr. David Yeager: How to Master Growth Mindset to Improve Performance
Huberman Lab
Key Takeaways
- Growth mindset is the belief that your abilities or potential in some domain can change under the right conditions and with the right support. It's not about being able to do anything just by trying hard.
- A brief 25-minute growth mindset intervention for 9th graders led to improved grades and course-taking up to 4 years later. The intervention involves presenting scientific information, stories from peers, and having students write their own story.
- Growth mindset becomes most relevant when facing challenges. It works best for individuals facing difficulties but in supportive environments that allow them to act on the mindset.
- The "stress-is-enhancing" mindset reframes physiological stress responses as helpful for performance rather than debilitating. Combining this with growth mindset is powerful.
- The "mentor mindset" involves maintaining high standards while also providing high support and believing in someone's potential to meet those standards.
- Framing effort and learning as contributing to others or a greater purpose, rather than just personal gain, can be highly motivating, especially for young people.
- Cultures that fear mistakes and punish failure tend to lead to unethical behavior and hiding of errors. "Cultures of growth" that view mistakes as part of learning are more productive.
- Drive and motivation are often better predictors of success than standardized test scores or past achievements alone.
Introduction
In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. David Yeager, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and one of the world's leading researchers on mindsets, particularly growth mindset. Dr. Yeager explains the concept of growth mindset, how it can be applied in various settings, and how it combines with other mindsets like the "stress-is-enhancing" mindset to improve performance and learning. He also discusses his upcoming book "10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People" and shares insights on effective mentoring and creating cultures that foster growth.
Topics Discussed
Defining Growth Mindset (4:22)
Dr. Yeager defines growth mindset as the belief that one's abilities or potential in a domain can change under the right conditions and with proper support. He emphasizes that it's not about being able to do anything just by trying hard, which is a common misconception.
- Growth mindset is about believing change is possible, not guaranteed
- It's less stressful than believing abilities are fixed and unchangeable
Impactful Growth Mindset Studies (6:02)
Dr. Yeager highlights a 2019 study published in Nature that showed significant effects from a brief growth mindset intervention:
- 9th graders received two 25-minute sessions on growth mindset
- 8-9 months later, students had improved grades and were more likely to take advanced math classes
- Effects persisted up to 4 years later
- The study used rigorous methods to address skepticism, including third-party data collection and pre-registration of analyses
Components of Effective Mindset Interventions (11:05)
Dr. Yeager outlines three key components of "wise interventions" like growth mindset:
- Present new scientific information in an engaging way
- Share stories from relatable peers who have used the ideas successfully
- Have participants write their own story applying the concepts
These elements help change people's interpretations of experiences and set up "recursive processes" where initial belief changes lead to different actions and further reinforcement of the mindset.
Stress Responses and the "Stress-is-Enhancing" Mindset (19:42)
Dr. Yeager discusses how the physiological stress response can be reframed as performance-enhancing rather than debilitating:
- Traditional view sees stress response (racing heart, sweaty palms) as universally bad
- The "stress-is-enhancing" mindset views these responses as the body preparing for optimal performance
- Changing one's mindset about stress can actually alter the physiological response
- Combining growth mindset with stress-is-enhancing mindset is particularly powerful
The Mentor's Dilemma and Effective Feedback (44:35)
Dr. Yeager explains the "mentor's dilemma" - the challenge of providing critical feedback while maintaining motivation:
- Mentors often feel stuck between being harshly critical or withholding feedback entirely
- The solution is to combine high standards with high support
- Effective feedback appeals to high standards while assuring the person they're capable of meeting them
- This approach makes growth mindset feel true in practice, not just as an abstract idea
Adolescent Development and Social Status (55:14)
Dr. Yeager discusses how puberty and adolescence impact motivation and social behavior:
- Puberty triggers changes in how teens seek social status and value
- Hormonal changes like increased testosterone drive obsessive practice in areas valued by peers
- This explains intense dedication to activities like sports, music, or even hacking during teen years
- Understanding this can help adults better support adolescent growth and learning
Purpose and Contribution as Motivators (1:32:28)
Dr. Yeager shares research on how framing effort in terms of contribution to others can be highly motivating:
- Studies found teens more likely to persist at boring math tasks when framed as gaining skills to help others
- This "purpose condition" was more effective than framing tasks in terms of future personal gain
- Effort feels more worthwhile when tied to a meaningful contribution, even if difficult
- This approach can be applied in education, workplaces, and other settings
Cultures of Growth vs. Cultures of Genius (2:00:42)
Dr. Yeager discusses research on organizational cultures and their impact on behavior:
- "Cultures of genius" that punish mistakes lead to hiding errors and unethical behavior
- "Cultures of growth" view mistakes as part of learning and encourage examining errors openly
- Examples contrasted Microsoft under different leadership styles
- Creating a culture of growth can improve both performance and ethical behavior
Rethinking Admissions and Evaluation (2:12:42)
Dr. Yeager shares examples of programs rethinking how to evaluate potential:
- Some physics programs focus more on drive and ability to do research than standardized test scores
- This approach has led to increased diversity in physics without sacrificing quality of work
- Emphasizes importance of mentoring and training after admission, not just selection criteria
Conclusion
Dr. Yeager's research demonstrates the power of mindsets in shaping behavior, performance, and wellbeing across various domains. By understanding and applying concepts like growth mindset, stress-is-enhancing mindset, and purpose-driven motivation, individuals and organizations can create environments that foster growth, resilience, and meaningful achievement. The discussion highlights the importance of combining high standards with high support, reframing challenges as opportunities for growth, and connecting effort to larger purposes beyond individual gain. These insights have significant implications for education, workplace culture, and personal development.
